Liquid-fuel heater.



H; N. WHITTELMSEY.

LIQUID FUEL HEATER.

APPLicATmN min SEPT. 24. 1914.

WHA/58858.' lm? l v .Application filed@ bell whom t mag/conoce y,

Beit" known thatl, HENRY NEWTQN Fifi-HTL. enig',y a oitizen ot' the UnitedStates, and resident of Greenwich, county offFairfield, 5 MSta-te rloi,Connecticut, have invented certain .fne'wvfand useful improvements yin [Liquidl Fuel lileatei's, ofwhich the following is aA specification accompanied by drawings.

yThis invention ,relates toa device foi-.pre

'andthe device is lparticulaily applicablefi'or heatingv liquicl fuels not readilytvaporizecl atmospheric temperatures orliax nga ma teifial `portion ot' constituents not y"evapor- 'if/eil,V examples oi such fuels beingheavy f.'gas'olenesa kerosene, fuel oil, alcohol, ete.- although the invention may have genera 7 nseciirlieating other liquids. j

,In any .copendiirgiN application, Ser. No.

ose and in` the present' applicationl `have ention. y y 4. ln accordance with the iiiventiominy cle- \n.e`fal'l'ords Ineai'is'to 'addingA lieutto the "fuel to bek aiseil` above the atmospheric teni- .iyor lfijressure of the fuel kanti:producing inklhe carburetor, 'aporizer or engine cylintlerspa-ce. y y. pieferto employ the rheat ofthe ex- V.filniu'st Arases as the.heating` inecliunjifand' the @present iniproverneins relateparticularly to theautoniatie lneans for controlling theexhaast heat supplied to the heating chamber oiinyalevice, niorder to efheientlylwregulate the temperature of, the icufelv Witlithevariaf exhaust gases .incident tovariations in power ofthe naine; The device is ofthe same general( ype as that disclosed in my; cependheating the liquid lfuel supplied tojthe lcar-r Ajliureting oi' vaporizing appara'tusoivcjylnbkr deiffdirect of an internal c oinhu'stionengine@ peinture, thereby materiallyJ inereasingsthe 861,554. filed Sept. le. 1914, l have described f claimed certain apparatus forthis puil isclosed further `modifications ofgtlie same juill fuel, to enable the teniperatureof `the 1 y tliejfbeneeial result of kincreasedTaporizal *tion when the iuelis released or discharged.

tions infthe temperature and pressure ofthe' anims? ,nnwfroii 1WnieuweLenie,kv oF, onnnivwmii, 'couinc'iiou'n rassieiioia fro `Wiii'-iu finLsEu, ooiaianY, ouimwrfyonx, N. Y., .anonimi-intimi; onfiquwonn.

ing'application .above referred to, and the kpresent invention isk illustrated in the acik im Figure 1' is a k.longitudinal sectional eleooinpanying"drawings, in which* vationiof one form of the device; f i Fig. 2 is similar View with Sonie of the parts ina diilei'ent position;

` .Fig Slis a transverse sectional elevation on the line Arf-A of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. f4 is a. detailliroken view, inlongitudinalsection, of atherniostatic member;`

l, a 'detail' broken View partly in vertical section olf-one position of thestherinostetie members f Fign isr a horizontalseetional View on a smaller,scale,y taken on the line B-B ,of

Fig. l `is a transi'ferse sectional elevation Fig. 9' is a longitudinal vSectional elevation broken away of the" `upper portion of a inodiiied form of the device;

Fig. "l0 isha View sunilai` to Fig. 9 with the parts-in a flliferentnosition;

Fig. il 'is a longitudinal sectional eleva` tion bijoken away, oik the upper portionof anotheiyinodiication; and

Fig. 12 is a longituclinal'sectional elevav tion of a1 further modification. e f

' Referifiiigfto the drawingsand more pari ticularl7 to Figs.` 1 to inclusive, one suit-4 able form of the device `is illustrated, in whichl D a suitable casingv uitaining 'a heatingychamber F, preferabw having the i'en-iovalil'e cover l, 'aciaptedlto be securedto the. casing, as by means, of the screws 2 tale ving into tliebosses 3 in the base ot the casing.A

As shown ifiilzeiiilrl-ly` screw threaded neck 4 adapted in this instance. the cover 'l is provided with. the inlet port E having an f` Y tornai' combustion en ine sinoel afs lieieinbey fore stated, I prefer 'toutilizefthe exhaust gas the heating medium. The casing l) is also provided with an outlet port K, having the internally screw threaded'neek 5, which may take al discharge conduit, so that when the device is properly connected, the exhaust gases iiow through the heating chamber when both ports are open.

The casing D is preferably niadevas small and as light convenientlypossible and may be formed of aluminumor other light metal. A liquid fuel conduit (i, forming the fuel chamber, preferably of copper, extends through the casing preferably in a longitudinal direction, affording the heating surface, and is fitted with suitable means, as the screw threaded ends 7, for attachment for instance in the fuel supply line vadjacent the carbureter or vaporizer, so that the liquid fuel flowing through the fuel 'chamber 6 is subjected to the heat of the exhaust gases in the heat chamber F. The conduit 6 is held firmly in the easing by the jam nuts S.

in order to automatically control the flow of exhaust gases through the casing, I have shown suitable devices, preferably in the form of sensitive thermostatic members subject to the influence of the heat of the exhaust gases in the heat chamber F and adapted to expand and contract with variations of temperature in said heating chamber. ln constructing the therinostatic members, I take. advantage of the property of difference in expansion of two metals or alloys, or a. metal' and an alloy under the influence of applied heat. By constructing such thermostatic members in the form of strips, each composed of metals or alloys having different coellicients of expansion, the tendency of the greater expanding metal or alloy to expand in a straight line, is opposed by the less expanding metal or alloy, thus causing the former to expand and contract in arcs oi continually varying radii as the temperature of the applied heat varies. However. the less expanding metal may be made to form the arcs, with thep greater expanding metal forming the chords, in which case the less expanding metal would follow arcs of continually varying radii as the teinperature ot' the applied heat varies, due to the material change in length of the chords. ln the former case the curvature increases with the increase of temperature and in the latter case decreases with such increase. The sensitive tlierniostatic strips 9 may be formed in any desired manner butIhave obtained satisfactory results with strips such as shown in detail in Fig. 4 in which the greater expanding metal G may be brass. ha ving the less expanding nickel-iron alloy H rolled or riveted thereon. This construction .materially increases or amplilics the change ot the radii of the arcs of circles formed, for the arc may then be considered to be made up of infinitesimal small arcs ezichwith its chord, the length of the are and ,the length of the chord being nearly of the same dimension, and therefore the difference of expension is most manifest. If these thermostatic strips 9 are set straight at normal temperature. say G00 If., such as shown in Fig. 1, then under the influence of greater tempera`- ture than (SUo F. they bend as illustrated in Fig. 2, and with less temperature than 60o F. they bend in the opposite direction, as illustrated in Fig.

I so construct and mount the thermostatic members, that the expansion and contraction is utilized in an efficient manner for actuating suitable means for controlling the inlet port E. I have shown thc inlet port preferably arranged at one end of the cover 1, and a valve 10, preferably in the form of a disk valvccoperates with the fiat valve seat J. By means of this construction the entering exhaust products impinge directly upon the face of the valve 10 instead of upon the sensitive thermostatic members, and thel gases are then deflected throughout the heat chamber. The valve also closes 'quickly against the flat seat J.

The valve spindle or stem 11 slides through a sleeve 12, extending through the bottom of the casing opposite the inlet port E, and this sleeve may be adjustable in any suitable manner, in this instance the sleeve being externally screw threaded and provided `with the locking nut 13. A knurled head 14 may be provided for adjusting the sleeve 12.

The outer end of the valve stem outside of the. casing, as shown, is preferably provided with a spring 18 which may be in the form of a coiled spring placed over the end of the stem'and confined between the sleeve 12 and the washer 19 held by the pin 20. By this means the valve 10 and thermostatic meinbersare held snug, which permits the installation of the device at any angle. o

The thermostat-ic members or strips 9 as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 are placed one upon the other and separated by the washers 15. The reduced end 16 of a screw threaded stud 17 passes through all the strips at a point intermediate their length, which point may be substantially midway of their length. The stud 17 forms a guide and support for the strips and this stud is preferably adjustable inwardly and outwardly as desired, and locked in position by means of the lock nut 21. TheA adjustable feature of this stud 17 enables the raising or lowering of the thermostat-ic members, thus raising or lowering of the valve 10, thereby causing the latter to close earlier or later and therefore providing for changing the temperature setting for the heat chamber.

The ends of the strips at one side of the casing are loosely held by the bolt 22 which l strip H4 abuts due to the greater expansion of the strut strip G4. In this case members H* and G4 constitute the thermomat. l

Obviously further modifications of the device could be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

l. A device for heating liquid fuel, comprising a casing having inlet and out-let ports to permit the flow of a gaseous heating medium through the casing, a liquid fuel chambev in the casing, with inlet and outlet means, a thermostat located in said casing for the heating medium, and actuated by the heat of said medium for automatically regulating the liow of said medium and thereby maintaining the temperature of the liquid fuel between predetermined limits, and means securing said thermostat enabling a free ,end to efl'ect the regulation of said flaow of the heating medium.

2. A device for heatingI liquid fuel, comprising a casing having inlet and outlet ports to permit the flow of ay gaseous heating medium through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing, with inlet and outlet means, a thermostat located in said' easing for the heating medium, and 'actuated by the heat of said medium for automatically regulating the. How of said medium and thereby maintaining the temperature of the liquid fuel between predetermined limits, a valve for the inlet port of the easing, means securing said thermostat enabling a free end to actuate thesaid valve and effect the regu-v lation c' said How of the heating medium, and supporting means for said valve affording provision for setting said casing atany angle or position whatsoever, without interfering with the automatic operation of the device.

8. A device for heating liquid fuel, com prising a casing having inlet and outlet ports to permit the fiow of a gaseous heating medium through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing, with inlet and outlet means, aI thermostatic member having one end secured within the casing and the other end free to move as said member bends with variations of temperature, and means actuated by said member for controlling said inlet port. A

4. A device for heating liquid fuel, comr prising a casing having inlet and outlet ports to permit the flow of a gaseous heating medium through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing with inlet and out` let means, a thermostatic member in the form of a strip adapted to bend with varia,- tions of temperature, one end of said strip being free to move, and means actuated by said free end for controlling the flow of the heating medium through the casing.

5. A device for heating liquid fuel, comprising a casin having inlet and outlet ports to p Irmit t ie ow of a gaseous heating medium hrough the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing with inlet and outlet means, a thermostatic member in the casing in the form of a strip composed of layers of metals having different coeicients of expansion, said strip being loosely secured within the casing at one end, free to move at the other end and supported between the ends, and a valve for the inlet port carried by the movable end of said strip.

(l. A device for heating li uid fuel, comprising a casing having in et and outlet ports to permit the flow of exhaust gases through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing, with inlet and outlet means, a plurality of thermostatie members in the form of strips, each composed of a -)lurality of different metals, said strips all being secured within the casing at one end and free to move at their other ends, and means actuated by the movable ends of said strips for controlling said inlet port.

7. A device for heating li: uid fuel, com prising a casing having inlet and outlet ports to permit the flow of exhaust gases through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing with inlet and outlet means, a plurality of thermostatio strips capable of bending under variations of temperature, said strips all being loosely secured within ,the casing at one end and free to move at 8. A device for heating li uid fuel, com.-

prising a casing -having in et and outlet ports to permit the flow of exhaust gases through t 1e casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing with inlet and outlet means, a disk valve in the casing movable to and from the said inlet port, whereby the exhaust gases impinge directly upon the valve, and a thermostatic member in the casing connected to directly actuate the valve bv an end, and composed of metals having different coefficients of expansion.

9. A device for heating liquid fuel, com. prising a casin having inlet and outlet ports to permit the ow of a gaseous heating medium through the casing, a liquid fuel chamber in the casing, a plurality of thermostatic strips looscl y secured at one end w'ithin the casing supported between the ends,

lio

and free to move to and from the inlet port prising a casing having inlet and outletvports to permit the How of a 'gaseous heating medium. through the casing a liquid fuel ohombei' in the casing, it plurality of th'ermostatio strips loosely secured at one end within the casing, supported by an adjustable stud between the ends,l and eeto move to and4 from the inletpoit at the other end, al disk Valve for the'inlet port, and' a. valvespindle l`loosely engaged by the'movable ends of said strips, whereby the valve is actuated by the bending of the strips due to variations of temperature in said casing, and a spring for i the valve spindle outside the casing for maintaining the valve and thermostatle strips in 15 

